51s pound 19 hits to beat Tacoma Rainiers 13-2
Judging by the first three innings, in which both teams combined for two hits in just 37 minutes, it looked like a pitchers’ duel was brewing.
It turned out to be anything but, as the 51s sent 11 hitters to the plate in a six-run fifth inning on the way to a 13-2 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers at Cashman Field on Tuesday afternoon.
“We came ready today, you can see on the scoreboard,” outfielder Roger Bernadina said after his team put up 19 hits. “Today was a solid day for us.”
Tacoma’s Adrian Sampson and Las Vegas’ Gabriel Ynoa threw a shutout for the first three innings before Tacoma’s Mike Zunino blasted a solo home run off Ynoa in the fourth.
It opened the scoring for the game, and also the offensive floodgates for the 51s.
Las Vegas answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and then took batting practice off Sampson in the fifth. The first five hitters recorded a hit, started by Gavin Cecchini’s double and a 384-foot home run from Marc Krauss, his team-leading 11th.
“Hitting is contagious for sure,” Krauss said. “He started missing in the zone more and we didn’t miss him.”
Every starter had at least one hit and the only two that did not have multiple hits, Krauss and Nevin Ashley, had an extra base hit.
It may be odd to see the team’s leading home run hitter batting ninth, but 51s manager Wally Backman said it’s a function of the team’s depth. He likes to hit prospects Cecchini and Brandon Nimmo in the eight spot in the order, and having a power bat like Krauss behind them is beneficial. Cecchini had three and two runs scored hitting in front of Krauss.
“I want a veteran hitting behind those guys to try to surround them a little bit with the veteran leadership,” Backman said.
Sampson, the PCL innings pitched leader entering the series, lasted just 4 1/3. Ynoa took over the top spot with seven strong innings, facing two batters in the eighth. He allowed two runs on six hits.
For Ynoa, starts like this are becoming par for the course.
“You get used to seeing a guy like that go out there and pitch like that,” Backman said.
Las Vegas finished the series 3-1, improving to 6-2 against the Rainiers this season and 10-4 in day games.
Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @J15Emerson
